ubuntu-us-ohio team mailing list archive

[Glenn Kelley <glenn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Stephen - thank you for a great email. 
I could not agree more. 

I took these courses some time ago - they are free as well - and fairly easy.
Folks understanding the basics of incident command and how that whole side of the world works - is very important. 

We operate a Wireless ISP - and I gotta tell you - what we do has helped in many emergencies. 
Even our routers are all linux based ;-) 

If anyone is interested in learning a bit how they can utilize some very basic utilities to support their local law enforcement and CERT teams using very simple technology - we would love to have you down to our offices to give you an overview 

We are located in Washington Court House Ohio - smack dab in the middle of Cincy, Dayton and Columbus - so for many its an easy travel. 

When Haiti took a hit - without our skill set even the UN there was stuck trying to establish communications for YEARS 
when they saw what we put in place - they wanted our help… 

Anyhow - I could not agree more the FEMA courses are well worth taking - especially since they will give you a step up within the local EMA and CERT infrastructure 


On Apr 15, 2013, at 9:17 PM, Stephen Michael Kellat wrote:

> For the sake of the Ohio community, it must be remembered that today's
> hyperconnected world presents plenty of conundrums.  When situations
> erupt such as in Boston, pictures and video of tragedy travel fast. 
> This started with the First Gulf War in 1991 and has only accelerated in
> pace since then with the number of communications connections increasing.  
> 
> The first thing to remember in an incident like this is that we're not
> there.  While the images feel so close and the emotions are quite real,
> time and space separate us.  Local law enforcement and civil contingency
> personnel are responding to the situation as fast as they can.  In any
> search for a perpetrator of a heinous act, apprehension is not normally
> immediate.  
> 
> It is quite human to seek answers.  In the immediate aftermath of a
> catastrophic event, answers might not necessarily be there to be found. 
> In an increasingly connected world where communications move faster and
> faster, frustration happens easily when you see senselessness and try to
> attribute sense to it.  
> 
> From outside an affected area, the first thing to do is to relieve
> stresses on communications lines.  If you have loved ones, wait to
> call.  Our *Plain Ol' Telephone System* end of contemporary
> telecommunications does have capacity limits.  If the American Red Cross
> establishes Health & Welfare check-ins that then provides a rather
> alternative channel to get back in touch.  Cellular telephone networks
> also have capacity limits and can collapse from overloading.  If you get
> an all-circuits-busy signal, leave it be for a time.  
> 
> It also has to be remembered outside an affected area that requests for
> help flow outwards rather than uncoordinated offers of aid flowing
> inward.  The people on the ground closest to the incident know what is
> wrong and where help is needed most.  Second-guessing them and playing
> arm-chair general from a distance causes harm rather than good.  Local
> first responders are in charge until they are relieved or pass the
> responsibility on to higher command.  
> 
> **IT IS THEREFORE RECOMMENDED** that members of the Ubuntu Ohio Local
> Community Team take the time to pursue the FEMA Emergency Management
> Institute's independent study course ["A Citizen's Guide to Disaster
> Assistance"](http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-7)
> to gain an appreciation of how disaster assistance functions in the
> United States in general.  Other courses are also available from the
> FEMA Emergency Management Institute [to
> pursue](http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.aspx?all=true) if members
> are interested.  
> 
> In the meantime, keep the folks in Boston in your thoughts and prayers. 
> We continue to live in interesting times.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> {ALSO POSTED AT:
> http://erielookingproductions.info/ubuntu/2013/04/34-considering-boston/}
> 
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